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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 06:15 [#00817205]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker
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Last week I started work as a care worker at a Residential Nursing Home. The hours are long, the pay is minimal (but of course), and the place is badly run and desperately short-staffed.
It makes me feel so sad for the old people. This is their final home, and because of a business out to cut costs for maximum profit, these people, human beings like you or I, are one step above neglection. It's just so heart-breaking, and it makes me feel so sad for them. I try my best, but I've only just started there. I can feel they're so bored that a lot of them have lost the will even to talk much. The place costs £550 per week, and they're being completely ripped off. The food is just passable, the care is minimal. They're wheeled into a lounge downstairs, and either left in their wheelchairs to be bombarded with day-time television, or wheeled to their rooms (small cubicles basically) and left to sit all afternoon. Some are wheeled to a room adjoining the lounge, and dire accordian music is put on the tape recorder while they sit there catatonic. It just makes me feel so rotten, and I want to do something to alleviate their pain :(
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Phobiazero
from the next Xltronic (Sweden) on 2003-08-11 06:17 [#00817207]
Points: 10507 Status: Webmaster | Show recordbag
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frustrating... :-/
i'm sure you'll do your best to cheer them up.
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aphextriplet
from your mothers bedroom (United Kingdom) on 2003-08-11 06:19 [#00817209]
Points: 4731 Status: Lurker
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that sucks. I started writing to my grandmother cause shes depressed about being old and dying and shit like that. She says it cheers her up loads.
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 06:42 [#00817221]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker
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I'll try my best to help them, once I know the residents better - I'm getting to know a few of them already.
Just been called in to do a double-shift on saturday - thirteen hour day... can't wait - I did an 11-hour day saturday past already
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NeoExmnist
from United States on 2003-08-11 06:44 [#00817223]
Points: 1385 Status: Lurker | Followup to marlowe: #00817205
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you should help them all to escape.
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pomme de terre
from obscure body in the SK System on 2003-08-11 06:49 [#00817233]
Points: 11941 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag
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wow, thats depressing. burn them some autechre cds or something to liven things up a bit. (serriously).. try to befriend at least one of them and get to know them personally.. it will make it seem worthwhile in retrospect. disrespect for elders is one of the shittiest aspects of western culture. :/
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 06:51 [#00817236]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker | Followup to pomme de terre: #00817233
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I have spoken to several of them already about their lives and stuff (those that communicate). They have a harmonium there, which I'll probably be roped into play. If only they had a piano . . .
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mc_303_beatz
from Glasgow, Scotland on 2003-08-11 06:53 [#00817239]
Points: 3386 Status: Regular
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Aye, get them some Squarepusher and lavva lamps!!! They are payin for this shit!. When I'm an old geezer, I vow I won't end up in a place like that. I'm gonna keep my marbles and write a book. fuck endin up like that.
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Netlon Sentinel
from eDe (Netherlands, The) on 2003-08-11 07:04 [#00817252]
Points: 4736 Status: Lurker
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sure their situation is bad - it's no different here in holland. but you have to keep in mind that it is often incredibly hard to get well trained personel. some time ago i was taliking with a girl who worked in a similar place for a year and she was disgusted with how the whole taking care business ended up going automatically and nearly plain coldy. the old ppl end up being numbers. but that's just how it goes if there's not enough personel. ppl don't take care of their own folks anymore. i prolly couldn't stand working there a day - kudos to you and good luck
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 07:06 [#00817256]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker | Followup to Netlon Sentinel: #00817252
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The workers there are very caring - they hate the situation as much as I do. It's not the workers who are to blame, it's the suits that have never visited them home, and are never likely to.
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jonesy
from Lisboa (Portugal) on 2003-08-11 07:32 [#00817276]
Points: 6650 Status: Lurker
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Owners of old people's homes are the worst piece of petit bourgeois scum. My dad used to work in one and the owners were complete cunts. They tried to siginificantly increase his workload without giving him more pay.
We should have a proper welfare state to care for these people for free instead of spending billions on killing people in the middle east.
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giginger
from Milky Beans (United Kingdom) on 2003-08-11 07:48 [#00817299]
Points: 26326 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag
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First off all congratulations on getting a new job Marlowe.
It's such a shame when car homes are badly provided for. It's just saddening to know that for many of the residents it's the last place they'll call home. My Nan is lucky in that the home she's at is excellent. The carers look after each of the residents as if they were their own parent. My Nan is one of the lucky few though. So many other's are given shit deals for their last years. The workers make the place so you being there Marlowe is bound to bring the place up. Plus I'm sure you'll be having words with the men in suits before long.
You're a diamond Marlowe.
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 07:52 [#00817312]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker | Followup to giginger: #00817299
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Funny how a diamond is basically crushed carbon. Maybe that is me - a crushed piece of carbon-based animal.
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giginger
from Milky Beans (United Kingdom) on 2003-08-11 07:55 [#00817318]
Points: 26326 Status: Lurker | Followup to marlowe: #00817312 | Show recordbag
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Hadn't thought of it like that.... I was thinking more of something shiny. Ooooooh, it glistens and glitters!
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jonesy
from Lisboa (Portugal) on 2003-08-11 08:02 [#00817330]
Points: 6650 Status: Lurker | Followup to marlowe: #00817312
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I saw this the other day. You have great people on your side.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/real_story/3122379.stm
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 08:02 [#00817331]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker | Followup to giginger: #00817318
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"...sparkling with diamonds."
I don't feel diamond, because there's not much I can do right now. I'm sure when I'm more comfortable with the 'residents' (as they call them) and more at ease &tc I will be able to do more for them - rather than just wash, dress, toilet and feed them. To entertain them would be nice
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 08:04 [#00817336]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker | Followup to jonesy: #00817330
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Oh yeah - I caught the end of that programme: I would imagine, being a pop star and all, she could buy her grand-mother a house and pay for a personal nurse/carer
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Monoid
from one source all things depend on 2003-08-11 08:17 [#00817370]
Points: 11010 Status: Lurker
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You could always steal the MEDS from the old people, and have a good time.
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2003-08-11 08:18 [#00817373]
Points: 24589 Status: Lurker | Followup to Monoid: #00817370
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woHoo -- I could party all night with my body pumped full of tranqs !! :P
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